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The hospital was run privately for five years up to when Fay Crocker gave away the buildings to Burbank Hospital. The gift required that the hospital only serve the women of Fitchburg if it was to still be used as a hospital. The hospital was closed in 1954 due to the large number of patients coming in and out. Services were moved to the Burbank Hospital, and Lucy Helen Hospital was given over to the Christ Episcopal Church for a Hostelry for the Girls Friendly Society. In 1968 the property was handed over to the city and was demolished to have the U.S. Post Office built on the property.An 1852 book, Rich Men of Massachusetts, describes the Abiel Towne, who built the hospital, as follows: "Started poor as you please. He was often heard to say 'When I began business, I could carry all my effects in a wheelbarrow.' Wools len manufacturer. A man of close application to business. He goe, straight ahead, minds his own bread and cheese, uses everybody fairly-but uses no flummery. If he has not held offices of trust, it is not because offices of trust have not been held out to him. A genuine specimen of honest, industrious, every0day contentment. Mr. Towne is one of the best citizens in town."

The demolition of the Lucy Helen Hospital

Article about Lucy Helen Hospital being razed

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Fay Bigelow Crocker founded the Lucy Helen Memorial Hospital in 1918 during the time of the influenza epidemic but its main purpose was to serve the women of Fitchburg. The three-story brick mansion was built by Abiel Towne who manufactured wool around the 1870s. At first, it was just a home for her and her husband, C.T. Crocker II, but they soon opened it up. In 1922 it was used as a private maternity hospital and was named Lucy Helen hospital after Fay Crockers’ mother Lucy Bigelow and her husband's mother Helen Crocker.

Lucy Helen Hospital

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This walking tour explores the historic districts in Fitchburg, MA. The tour largely follows along Main Street with a few detours down side streets. Several of the historic locations such as the Train Depot and Lucy Helen Hospital have been demolished, though historical images of these locations are provided. This project was a collaboration of the Fitchburg Historical Commission, The Douglas and Isabelle Crocker Center for Civic Engagement, and Dr. J.J. Sylvia IV's COMM 1105 Introduction to Communication Media Spring 2022 course. 

The IVER JOHNSON MURAL by painter Jon Allen, faces Myrtle street. The mural as created in 2018.Iver Johnson was an immigrant to Massachusetts from Norway; he was a farm boy who learned to manufacture firearms in the factories of Bergen. (The farm where he grew up is still an apple farm perched high above one of Norway's fjords.) After coming to Worcester, MA, Johnson moved to Fitchburg in the early 1890's and opened a successful firearms and bicycle manufacturing company that became the largest sporting goods distributor in the world for a few decades. Iver Johnson bikes were famous for their craftsmanship and speed in the early years of bike racing. The company stopped manufacturing bikes during World War II, and its Fitchburg gun factory was closed in 1971. This view of the mural also shows the many industrial mills in brick that surround it and give downtown Fitchburg so much of its character: https://bit.ly/3fHjaGO"THE HIKER" SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR MONUMENT by THEO ALICE RUGGLES KITSON,1906Fitchburg’s Spanish-American war memorial is by Theo Alice Ruggles Kitson, installed in 1924 and dedicated on Labor Day of that year. Her authorship of the monument became known only in 1985-90. The sculpture was cleaned and restored in 1989. Kitson is also the creator of a memorial to Thaddeus Kosciuszko, found in the Boston Public Garden. The figure was nicknamed “The Hiker” because infantrymen during the Spanish-American war typically marched long, hot hours through the tropics of Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines. After the war, Fitchburg's veterans met for many years in the "Guanica Encampment." The Historical Society owns some unique records and artifacts from the Spanish-American war that were brought back by Fitchburg soldiers.Behind the Hiker monument, there is a plaque listing the names of soldiers from Fitchburg who fought in both the Spanish American War and World War I. There were 18 citizens who have this distinction.The Moran Square district has been nominated to be named an Historical Preservation District. Many of the brick buildings nearby were built as mills and factories in Fitchburg's early industrial era. This view gives some sense of the Moran Square diner, virtually unchanged since it was manufactured: https://bit.ly/2WpEKbAA little to the west, you will find another monument: on North Street, about 200 yards north of Main Street, there is a monument to the first responders of 9/11 outside the Fitchburg Fire Department headquarters. The monument is centered around a large piece of steel from the World Trade Center that was deformed by the fire. The fire department also has a collection of historic firefighting equipment, which can be visited with an appointment.

Moran Square is home to a striking granite building, long a home to shops and apartments. It is also where you will find Fitchburg's Spanish-American war monument, called "The Hiker", by renowned Boston artist Theo Alice Ruggles Kitson, first created in 1906. It is also home to an original Worcester Car diner, the Moran Square diner. Nearby, you will find a new portrait mural honoring Fitchburg industrialist, Iver Johnson.

Moran Square

The Old Fitchburg Depot was constructed in 1842. Alvah Crocker's efforts were vital in bringing the railroad to Fitchburg, and he attended over 100 meetings around the state to advocate for this. However, significant controversy arose over where to build the depot, so much so that enthusiasm for the project declined and the initial opening of the depot met with a more limited celebration. The line initially ran from Fitchburg to Charlestown through 1848. After that year, it was extended to Boston. The Fitchburg to Boston line was used extensively. By 1887, "the Fitchburg railroad runs eleven passenger trains to Boston every week-day, and five to Greenfield and North Adams." (Fitchburg, MA: Past and Present. pg 20). In total, the depot would see the arrival of over 50 passenger trains per day. One of the lines is known as the Cheshire Railroad (nowadays known as the Cheshire Rail Trail). This railroad ran through Fitchburg and Vermont, more specifically Bellow Falls, Vermont.The Fitchburg Railroad ran from Fitchburg, MA, to modern-day North Station. It was first added to the Truck Road path in 1876 being the last stop. The stops that the railroad would take would be as follows: Boston, Charleston, Union Square, Somerville, Cambridge, Watertown Junction, Hill's Crossing, Belmont, Waverly, Clematis Brook, Beaver Brook, Waltham, Roberts, Stony Brook, Weston, Silver Hill, Lincoln, Concord, Acton, Littleton, Ayer Junction, Shirley, Lunenburg, Leominster, Fitchburg. The rail would be expanded six years later in 1882 with it now being on the Boston and North Adams trail. The line would start from Boston, go past Fitchburg station, and end up at North Adams.By 1882, Fitchburg would actually have two train stops, as a second stop was added in West Fitchburg. However, the line continued expanding, this time further westward all the way to North Adams, passing through the possibly haunted Hoosac Tunnel. The rumor about the Hoosac Tunnel was that it was haunted by a few miners who tested explosives and caused a bit of a cave-in.The downfall of the Fitchburg line was an odd one, to say the least, but would happen within the span of 30 years. The beginning of that would be at the start of the 20th century with the purchase of the Fitchburg Railroad by the Boston and Maine line. Upon further research, the fee that was paid to lease the line is unknown. But after that, it would mainly end up going downhill. Nowadays, people end up using the Commuter Rail to get from Boston to Fitchburg. That would be on the Purple Line with Fitchburg itself being the 2nd to the last station on the line.Historical ConnectionsTheodore Roosevelt is the only president to have visited Fitchburg while being in office, and he arrived via the train depot. He visited in 1902 to give a speech at the Wallace Building. Roosevelt became president after President McKinley was assassinated with a revolver manufactured by, oddly enough, the Iver-Johnson Arms Company in Fitchburg (Images of Fitchburg, Page 127.)The trains passing through the Fitchburg stations are the same ones that would pass very near Henry David Thoreau's cabin in the Walden Woods. These train lines were first developed when he was a teenager and his relationship with this new technology was, at best, ambivalent. Thoreau frequently questioned whether the new technologies of his time, including the railroad, actually brought as much progress as many perceived them to. The children's book, Henry Hikes to Fitchburg, presents his argument that it would be much better to walk to Fitchburg from Concord than to take the train. He also composed a poem about the railroad, featured below:<blockquote>What’s The Railroad To Me?</blockquote><blockquote>What’s the railroad to me?</blockquote><blockquote>I never go to see</blockquote><blockquote>Where it ends.</blockquote><blockquote>It fills a few hollows,</blockquote><blockquote>And makes banks for the swallows,</blockquote><blockquote>It sets the sand a-blowing,</blockquote><blockquote>And the Blackberries a-growing</blockquote><blockquote>Walden, H. Thoreau</blockquote>

The current Purple Commuter Line in Massachusetts runs from Wachusett through Fitchburg to the North Station in Boston. It was created this way to make commuter travel more convenient for the people. The history of this line connects to the early railroad construction in the state, in which the Fitchburg Train Deport served as an important hub. The initial construction began in the 1840s and lasted through1870s. Here is the story of the Fitchburg Train Depot.

The Fitchburg Train Depot

Henry Martyn Francis (1836-1908) opened his architectural firm on Fitchburg's Main Street in 1868, renaming his company H. M. Francis and Sons in 1902 when his two sons, Frederick and Albert F., joined the firm. By the time of his death, H. M. Francis left an architectural legacy in Fitchburg and New England that included at least 30 school buildings, 25 churches, 15 libraries, numerous public and commercial buildings, and hundreds of residences, all in a variety of architectural styles. His sons continued to practice architecture in the city until 1943. The period of significance for this historical district thus extends from 1868 until 1943 and includes properties designed by H. M. Francis and H. M. Francis and Sons.Francis also designed many commercial buildings along Main Street, six of which are still standing, including the Belding and Dickinson Building (1866), Coggshall and Carpenter Block (1877), Proctor Block (remodel, ca.1880), Phoenix Building (1893), Safety Fund National Bank Building (1894), and Cutler Block (1896), are a testament to the architectural beauty of commercial buildings designed in the late 19th century by H. M. Francis, as well as the historical legacy of Fitchburg. H.M. Francis was also responsible for a number of other civic and institutional structures in downtown Fitchburg only about half of those that have been identified remain extant.As you might have guessed, the Rollstone Congregational Church, the building you’re at now, is not a commercial building. It was constructed for a very similar reason though, the people of Fitchburg! The Calvinistic Congregational Church was reaching capacity and with the housing boom on lower Main Street, they began discussions in 1867 to build a new church there, or rather here, in 1868. Unsurprisingly, it still serves as a church to this day. Not only is this the only non-commercial building he constructed on Main Street, it wasn’t even his first building here.Francis’ first building on this street, the Belding and Dickinson Building, was constructed in 1866 as a commercial building. As you can see in the picture, it’s been home to a number of restaurants among other things. It’s currently home to a number of dining locations. His next building on Main Street, constructed in 1877 with a “Queen Anne '' architectural style, was the Coggshall and Carpenter Block. It’s mainly reserved for department stores and shops. Though originally constructed in 1832, Francis handled the remodel of Proctor Block around 1880, keeping its similar “Queen Anne '' architectural style. Although it has housed many businesses, from markets to pet stores, it is currently home to the music studio Grizz Gang Forever Studios. The Phoenix Building was constructed in 1893 with a renaissance revival architectural style. Though once used for commercial purposes like an apartment complex, it is currently the home of the Fitchburg Historical Society. The Safety Fund National Bank Building was constructed in 1894 and also had a renaissance revival architectural style. It was and still is a bank, although nowadays it’s a TD Bank, along with some other commercial uses. Francis' last remaining commercial building on Main Street has probably the saddest fate of all. Using a classical revival architectural style, Cutler Block was constructed in 1896. While it has been many things, from a bowling alley to a doctor’s office, it is currently a vacant lot.

This entry is about H. M. Francis and his architectural contributions to the town of Fitchburg, MA. He was a famous architect that made dozens of buildings over several decades. Many of those years he spent working with his sons Fredrick and Albert F., rebranding his firm as "H. M. Francis and Sons." This entry also delves into the buildings of his that are on Main Street.

H. M. Francis Historic Overlay District

Monument Park, the district’s namesake, is situated at the center of the district and was constructed in 1874. The park is 2/3 of an acre consisting of maple trees, shrubbery, an iron fence, and most notably the monument at its center. Sculpted by Martin Milmore, the granite statue depicts Victory holding a garland with a Civil War rifleman on the left, and a sailor on the right. It pays homage to the 142 Fitchburg citizens who died during the Civil War. The two cannons are captured Confederate cannons and were used in the Battle of Gettysburg and the Siege of Richmond. Originally there were four cannons, but two have been sold off and not returned.The Armory, located at 14 Wallace Ave, was designed by Robert P. Wait and Olin W. Cutter and was built in 1891. The armory was built for the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia and the letters M.V.M still remain on the building. The militia’s name changed to the National Guard during World War II. An addition to the armory was constructed by Henry M. Francis in 1914, and the Armory was closed in 1974 and was renovated in 1980 to become the Senior Center.The former YMCA building was located at 533 Main Street and was another Henry M. Francis design built in 1894. Originally a 5-story building, it has had the top two floors removed and sandstone and brick painted over with remodeling done to the first floor. It has housed a branch office of the Worcester County National Bank, but currently it remains vacant.Christ Church is located at 569 Main Street. It is a High Victorian Gothic Church that was built in 1868 and was designed by Richard Upjohn. The church has had numerous additions and enlargements, one of which was designed by Hobart Upjohn, Richard’s grandson. Another church within the district was the demolished Trinitarian Church, an important historical site with its own stop on this tour.

The Monument Park Historic district is a nationally recognized historic district, accepted into the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The district includes the park as well as many buildings surrounding it, such as the Armory, former YMCA, demolished Trinitarian Church, and Christ Church. The district also includes three levels of government, being the Federal Post office, County Court house, and city Library. The buildings included in the district are ones that are important to the history of Fitchburg, such as buildings designed by architects Henry M. Francis and Richard Upjohn, as well as buildings important to the Civil War. The district was largely constructed as a display of civic pride and has become a source of community identity.

Monument Park Historic District

The Trinitarian Congregational Church was built during a time when the railroad to Fitchburg created a spurt of growth, the 1840s. The church was built from the oldest building in the Monument Park District and served as a stop on the Underground Railroad. The Trinitarian Congregational Church split from the Calvinistic Church in 1843 following three tumultuous years of discussions about slavery, and its members withdrew from the Calvinistic Church shortly before the Calvinistic Church formally adopted a resolution condemning slavery as an evil of great magnitude. The Trinitarian Church was constructed specifically in 1844 by architect H.M. Francis. The church was established as a chapter of William Lloyd-Garrison's anti-slavery society and was founded by Benjamin Snow Jr., Abel Thurston, and Alpheus Kimball. This made it a symbol against slavery and as such attracted many abolitionist speakers who would often stay with Benjamin Snow. These speakers included Fredrick Douglas, Lucy Stone, and George Thomson. The church was also a scene for many slavery protests as it was seen as a safe place free from slavery. Fitchburg’s role in the anti-slavery movement dates to the 1830s, when people residing in Fitchburg helped in local, regional, and national efforts with multiple homes serving as stops along the Underground Railroad.Benjamin Snow was a prominent figure in the anti-slavery movement within Fitchburg. In 1863, He purchased an 800-pound bell that had been cast for use on a plantation in Mississippi and used to call enslaved African Americans to their daily labor. The bell was seized during the Civil War and Snow bought it as part of an auction. It was placed in the belfry of the church, and Snow insisted it would not ring again until slavery had ended. Snow was finally able to ring the bell on January 1, 1863, after receiving news of President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. Today, the bell is still in use at the Federated Church in Ayer, MA.The Trinitarian Church was used by the congregation until around 1870, when it eventually merged with the Rollstone Congregational Church, which is still active today. On November 15, 1871, the Trinitarian Church building was sold at auction. It was sold for $14,300 to a man named John M. Carpenter where it was remodeled by H.M. Francis for commercial use in 1875 and 1883. It was used as a post office from 1872 until 1901 and then used by Central Hardware in 1917, a store owned by Aubuchon Hardware. It was ultimately demolished in the 1980s. Today, this spot holds a commercial real estate building called Park Square Building.The importance of the Trinitarian Church stems from the meaning of its construction against slavery in a time where there was much uncertainty. The Trinitarian church stood to represent peace, stability and eventually liberation as it united people under a common belief and goal. As a demolished monument of Fitchburg, the loss of its physical presence leaves residents and visitors alike the potential to miss the history of such an important site.

This entry contains information on the Trinitarian Church that was demolished in the city of Fitchburg. It covers how the church came to be, it's backstory and any changes it went through. This entry also explains its effects on the city as a whole, why it was an important monument, and what it ultimately represented.

Trinitarian Church

The Academy Street Educational District holds a lot of the history of the city's high school and middle schools. Academy Street School or the Fitchburg High School Annex was built in 1869 by Henry M. Francis, an architect who moved from Lunenburg to Fitchburg and made many of the historical buildings in Fitchburg and other towns in Massachusetts. Academy Street School is notably one of the first buildings that H. M. Francis constructed in Fitchburg. It was designed in a Second Empire style. This was not the only high school that H. M. Francis built. He also constructed one more between the years 1893 and 95; yet, the Academy Street School is the only high school Francis built that is still standing, as the high school he had built more recently burned down in 1934.In order to replace the H. M. Francis building that had burned down a new high school was constructed over two years, and completed in 1937. It was constructed by one of the biggest architecture firms in New England. The building was huge and prominent in the downtown area and was recognized as one of the finest schools in the entire state. The lot for the school is more than an acre in size and it cost over a million dollars to construct. This remained the Fitchburg High School for a long time. In 2000, the new and current Fitchburg High School was built, but this former Fitchburg High School is still intact and has now become a middle school under the name Longsjo Middle School.One thing that has stayed the same since being built in 1902 is Wallace Way. It is a very wide stairway of stone that bridges the old Fitchburg High School down to the Prichard Street parallel with Academy Street, where all of the other historical buildings of this district are located. These steps were given to the city by Rodney Wallace, and they had been designed by H.M. Francis. There are plaques at the bottom of the stairs that provide some of the information given here. It is in great condition and was restored in 1956 by George Wallace. There is one change from the original design with the removal of the light post from the newel’s of the stairs; however, they still have metal ornament in its place.On the other end of Academy Street we have the Fitchburg City Stable and B. F. Brown Junior High School. The Fitchburg City Stable was built in 1885. It lasted long after the use/need for stables and had been used by the Parks Dept for various purposes. It is still standing today in good condition with the painted “city stable” above the main entrance still clear and readable, though it has recently fallen out of use. The B. F. Brown Junior High School has a similar history. The building was constructed in 1922. It remained as a middle school for the entirety it was open but was used as a vocational school for the arts for its later part of its operation. Recently, in 2010, the school closed down and while the building was not in use, fires partially destroyed the building.Currently, there are plans to occupy all of these buildings again. The former Fitchburg High School and Wallace Way are still being used in some way but currently, the Fitchburg High School Annex, Fitchburg City Stable, and B. F. Brown Junior High School are not in use, but still standing and just need a bit of work for them to be usable again. NewVue Communities and the Fitchburg Art Museum have been working on restoration of the buildings and making them into affordable residential buildings for the artist community. They are planning to make around 60 rentable and affordable spaces for artists, including studio and work spaces.

Academy Street Educational District is composed of four different buildings and one walkway. These include: 1) Academy Street School, now the Fitchburg High School Annex, built in 1869; 2) Fitchburg High School, constructed between the years 1936 and 1937 and which remained as Fitchburg’s High School until the year 2000; 3) Fitchburg City Stable that was constructed in the year 1885; 4) Brown, B. F. Junior High School built in 1922; and 5) Wallace Way, a monumental staircase built and dedicated to Rodney Wallace in 1902.

Academy Street Educational District

In 1852 the city of Fitchburg, then just a town, decided they had to replace the city hall, as the last one was not providing what they needed, as the population had doubled to 5,000 people over the past ten years. The committee assigned decided that it should be in the Upper Common, but due to the committee needing to make compromises, the building of the new city hall was delayed a few years and the current location of just south of the Upper Common was chosen. Col. Ivers Phillips, one of the members of the building committee, resigned to take up the construction of the original building in order to help make sure it could be completed at the proposed budget of $14,000.Col. Ivers Philips decided on a Greek Revival style of architecture, drawing from the notorious democracies of history. He also used the local craftsman to help in the construction, creating a town hall from the labor of the town. Ward B Farrar was hired as a carpenter, Deacon SA Wheeler, as a stonemason, and Alonzo P Goodrich to be the brick-maker. While there is little of this original material in the modern building, the option to keep it in this Greek Revival style has persisted through the years, important to the integrity that the city was founded upon.The Democratic State Convention was held at the then-unfinished town hall in September of 1852, demonstrating the growing importance of Fitchburg. A September 10 article in The Fitchburg Sentinel demonstrates this:<blockquote>"It is but a few years since when a project of a railroad from Fitchburg to Boston was first started, that appeals for subsciptions and assitance were met by those to whom they were made by the contemptous inquiry of 'Where in the world is Fitchburg?' It is, therefore, somewhat signficant of its increased notoriety, at least, that the Democratic party of Massachusetts have not been afraid of bewildering their delegates by appointing the place of rendezvous at Fitchburg, or entertaining any fears of their losing themselves by the way." (quoted in Bailey).</blockquote>The new Town Hall officially opened in January of 1853, and The Fitchburg Sentinel on January 7th described this event as "marking a new era in our town history... The building in every respect confers high credit, both upon the liberality of the citizens of the place, the judgment of the committee, and the skill of Col. Phillips, its contractor." (quoted in Bailey).What started as offices on the first floor, and public space for meetings on the second floor, became outgrown by the surrounding city, so an extension had to be made. The city hall has expanded quite a lot from the original building, as the former Bank of America Building was donated and converted into a legislative building. H.M. Francis was a notable architect in the area in the 1870s, so in 1879, he was commissioned as the designer for an expansion on the building. This expansion became the four floors in the rear of the building and changed the interior layout of the building. It had the same face of the building, but it was completely changed. Then in 1864, to accommodate the new work and employees the state required, the previous meeting floor was turned into more office space. After this, a porch with stairs was added to the building. While the building has stayed the city hall for over 100 years, it is far different from what it started out as.A 1904 speech, "Early History of the City Hall" given by Ebenezer Bailey at a meeting of the Fitchburg Historical Society, notes the historical importance of the building:<blockquote>"For more than half a century it has been the center of the municipal and much of the social life of Fitchburg. Its walls have echoed to the voices of great and illustrious men. Wendell Phillips, Charles Sumner, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Henry Ward Beecher, John G. Saxe, Anson Burlingame, and many others have stood upon its platform and moved and stirred the inhabitants of Fitchburg with words of wisdom, wit and eloquence. Here, during the War of the Rebellion, before the assembled and sorrowing people were held the public obsequies of some of our honored dead, whose bodies were brought back to us from southern battle-fields."</blockquote>Henry David Thoreau additionally presented his lecture titled, "Walking, or The Wild," at City Hall on February 3, 1857. His speeches and others were sponsored by the Fitchburg Athenaeum. Membership peaked at about 150 and lectures cost fifteen cents for entry. Thoreau's speech was the last of the season speaking season, which did not continue the following year due to the 1857 depression.In 2012 the main building was deemed unsafe due to a broken roof truss. The city government worked out of 166 Putnam Place for the time being. By 2016 they decided to revitalize the building, renovating the inside to be more modern and reconstructing the outside. Work had to be done as quickly as possible, as the city was working out of rental spaces after it was deemed unsafe. Completed in 2020, the building was deemed safe in 2021, and the city government could work out of it again.The building has evolved with the city of Fitchburg, and it is only fair to say that it will likely continue to grow. The grand feeling the building evokes and the importance it holds to not only the city but the people who have aided in the changes. It stands as a pillar of how Fitchburg has grown through time, both in its physical modifications and the community's help in the development.

Built in 1852, the Fitchburg city hall is an example of the continuous changes to the community. As the city has grown, the building containing the city government has grown with it. Many changes have taken place to accompany the expanding city, including new sections having to be built. It stands as a physical representation of the ever changing city’s history.

The Fitchburg City Hall

The 1837 church replaced an earlier meeting house, which can still be seen from the Upper Common - it now houses DeBonis Florist on the south side of the common. The current First Parish Unitarian church building was constructed from bricks locally made in Fitchburg at one of the city's brick factories. The columns are monoliths - each is one piece of stone - that were quarried on Rollstone Hill, which overlooks the downtown from the south. It housed a lending library of children's literature before the local public library was established in the 1850s.By the time large contingents of immigrant laborers arrived in Fitchburg in the 1880s and '90s, the Finnish community was based on the streets north and west of the Upper Common. The Finnish nickname for this location was "the Kuusamo". Even non-Finns knew what it meant when someone said, "Meet me on the Kuusamo".The Upper Common initially thrived as a residential area featuring Federal and Greek Revival homes, however, its proximity to the river and local industries such as the mills led to an increase in commercial and civic development. It is now home to a variety of public art installations and monuments. One of the first monuments built was Herbert Adams' fountain, "Boys Playing with Turtles," which was built in 1888 and restored in 1986. It also contains memorials for the Korean and Vietnam wars as well as World Wars I and II. An additional memorial was constructed for Arthur M Longsjo Jr, who was the first African American to compete in both the summer and winter Olympics in the same year (1956). Finally, the Rollstone Boulder, a deposit left by receding glaciers, was moved to the Upper Common around 1929/30.

The Upper Common was originally owned by the First Parish Church of Fitchburg. (Their 1837 building faces the head of the Common.) They deeded the land to the city in 1882. It is now preserved as the Upper Common Historic District. The city immediately began to improve the space into a verdant green space in a city that was otherwise crowded with factories, homes, and shops.

Upper Common, facing First Parish Church

In the late fall 1916, Charlotte Crocker was dismayed to see her son John coming home full of cuts and scratches from playing with his friends in a vacant lot owned by his father near the Nashua River, at Circle and Broad Streets. That evening, she addressed the issue with her husband Alvah, by recounting their son’s condition after his return that day. Charlotte opined that there wasn’t a decent place in Fitchburg for school children to play outdoor games. She had planted the seeds! Not only had Alvah inherited great wealth from his grandfather Alvah Crocker, Sr. and his father C.T. Crocker, he inherited his family’s tremendous sense of civic duty. By the end of the holidays, Alvah Crocker II had a plan that he put it in motion. On January 1, 1917, Crocker addressed a letter to Mayor Foss, declaring that he would be funding an athletic field to be used by the children of Fitchburg for their physical and mental development. He committed $250,000 to the project and hired the renowned landscape designers, Frederick Law Olmsted and Sons Landscaping firm. The firm’s founder, Frederick Law Olmsted, Sr., was the architect of Central Park in New York City and Boston’s Emerald Necklace. Olmsted’s sons were engaged to design Fitchburg’s Crocker Field. Mr. Crocker also hastened to visit Principal Charles Woodbury at Fitchburg High School; he requested that the School Board assume the responsibility for Crocker Field’s oversight. He also presented the principal with a check for $38,000 to fund its continuous care. When word of the field reached the Fitchburg High students, they organized a visit to the Crocker home at 120 Prospect Street to thank Mr. Crocker properly. They formed a group at the school, marched with the band over to Main Street and the Upper Common, and up the hill to his home on Prospect; all while singing school songs and shouting their “thank you” for his generosity. Crocker Field was built during World War I and the Spanish influenza epidemic, so it took some extra time to complete. It contained a football gridiron, a baseball field, two tennis courts, a track, open and covered grandstands, and a club house enclosed by a Black iron fence and the Nashua River. On Opening Day, May 11, 1918, thousands of fans watched the dedication. Alvah Crocker II raised the American flag and threw out the first pitch in a baseball game between Fitchburg High School and Gardner High school. For one-hundred years, Alvah Crocker II Field has been the pride and joy of Fitchburg High School and the city. Thousands of sporting events, graduations, civic events, and special visits there have been recorded. In 2001, Crocker Field was listed on The National Register of Historic Places. Today, if he were alive, Alvah Crocker would be very pleased by his investment. Not only would he marvel at its maintained beauty, but he would rejoice in how much it has contributed to the well-being of all the Fitchburg children who have used it and will continue to enjoy it.

This athletic field with its stands and buildings was designed by landscape designers Frederick Law Olmsted and Sons. It opened in 1918 for use by the Fitchburg High School teams. It is home to one of the longest football rivalries in America, the Fitchburg vs. Leominster Thanksgiving Day game. The annual game is a vital holiday tradition in the Twin Cities and served as an important introduction to American culture via football for many of Fitchburg's first generation immigrant families.

Fitchburg Historic Districts

Lucy Helen Hospital

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information